Letter of support to the Association of Asian American Studies

The Right to Education Campaign hails the passage of an academic boycott resolution by the Association for Asian and American Studies in Seattle on April 20, 2013. We recognise that taking such a stand requires bravery and courage and would like to thank you for demonstrating your solidarity with the Palestinian people by standing with them in opposition to the illegal Israeli occupation of Palestine and the draconian system of apartheid.

The academic and cultural boycott of Israel is an urgently needed form of pressure upon the state of Israel that can bring about Israel’s compliance with international law through withdrawal of its forces from the 1967 territories and an end to its brutal system of apartheid. As was proven by the dismantling of apartheid in South Africa, the international community of scholars and academics, by shouldering the moral responsibility to fight injustice, can bring about change here in Palestine.

All conscientious academics must join the academic boycott of Israel in order to protest the denial of academic freedom, which is occurring under the Israeli occupation.

The targeting of Israeli academic institutions is warranted, as they have been complicit in the maintenance of a system of oppression upon the Palestinian people, which denies them their most basic human rights guaranteed by international law, including their right to education.

The right to education of Palestinians is systematically violated by the Israeli state. This occurs at all levels and impacts elementary, secondary and higher education with profound consequences for Palestinian society. From movement and access restrictions to closures of educational institutions to arbitrary student arrest and detention at the hands of the Israeli military and consequent stifling of political life on university campuses, Palestinian students experience numerous challenges in completing their studies.

Through this resolution the Association of Asian American Studies has demonstrated that the oppression of Palestinians under the Israeli occupation, and the denial of their human rights including their right to education, is an offense to justice, which is unacceptable to justice loving people everywhere.